In mining and construction, wear parts (e.g., teeth) are commonly provided to protect the underlying equipment from undue wear and break up the ground in a digging operation such as with an excavating bucket, ripper arm or the like. Teeth typically encounter heavy loading and highly abrasive conditions during use and must be periodically replaced. A lock that can be released and installed quickly is desirous as replacement of the points requires downtime for the earthmoving equipment, which can cause a significant loss of production.
A tooth system typically includes a base or adapter attached to the excavating equipment, and a point or tip secured to the base to contact the ground. A lock is used to secure the point to the base. The reliable lock is desirous. Failure of the lock can result in loss of the point, damage to the base, and/or jamming or damage to downstream processing equipment such as a crusher.